Certosa di Pavia

September 30, 2013

Another very busy week.  Did not get a chance to go anywhere on Saturday.  Spent the day catching up in the office.  Sunday was a nice day and we needed to drop off some things at a sisters apartment down in Pavia, about 30 minutes south of here.  So we left early and stopped by the Certosa di Pavia.  This is a big cathedral that is connected to a monastery. 

This is the ceiling of the opening gateway to the complex.

 

In the main court yard leading to the cathedral were some fantastic buildings.  The whole place was very well maintained.  Here is an example of painting architectural designs to look like the real thing.  I do not know if this was in the original design or if has been done as restoration to show what it was like originally.

Here is the opposite side of the courtyard.  You can see that here the details are real stone work with the painting technique to the right.

This is the far end of a wine press.  The beam that runs horizontally is 10 meters long.  The whole thing is a giant lever where the monk would turn this screwed post, railing the beam that pressed down on the large tub of grapes on the opposite end.

Strange stone up 10 feet from ground level on the corner of the building.

 

Here is the front façade of the cathedral.

Very detailed stone work

One panel is of Adam & Even with the tree of knowledge and the serpent.

Another carved stone panel - Wise men visiting the Christ child?

Joseph and Mary on their way home from Bethlehem

The Ascension

This is actually a picture a got off the web of the Certosa with monastery in front of the cathedral.

 

They did not allow any picture taking inside of the cathedral.  But it was in fantastic shape.  Very fresh and well cared for.  Many paintings, lots of great detail.

There was a very nice depiction of the Last Supper. (off the web)  We actually get to go see the See the Leonardo Da Vinci painting of the Las Supper in December.

Here is the large court yard of the monastery with each little house around the perimeter.  The monks have a vow of silence.  From the Google  satellite view of this you can see that each house has its own garden.

Walking back to the car from the Certosa.  Very nice road about 2 miles long lined with trees.

Rice is growing on both side of the road.  They have turned the water out of the rice field and it is now a beautiful golden color.

Rise field with the Certosa in the Background.

 

 

As we were walking out of the Certosa there was a small group of vendors selling souvenirs and also a guy selling candied nuts that they were cooking in a large copper wok like device.  Of course we bought some.  Quite tasty.